


Of Men and Monsters

by EnidZsasz



Category: Reylo - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Rey/ Ben Solo - Freeform, Rey/Kylo Ren - Freeform, Reylo Monster Week
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-14 01:55:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16483865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnidZsasz/pseuds/EnidZsasz
Summary: For Reylo monster Week. Rey just got a job as a firewatch, she's always preferred being alone compared to having to deal with people. When she wakes one day after falling asleep outside she finds herself face to face with a very unwelcome visitor.





	1. {VAMPIRE}

**Author's Note:**

> I KNOW I'M LATE SUSH.

Rey had spent most of her life under a abusive foster parent, finally eighteen and free from it she had taken to the first thing that would get her out and away from everything she knew. Out in the rocky Mountains which were experiencing a historic drought she was heading out to be a fire watch. Someone alone in a tower to keep an eye out for any sign of smoke and report it, before it could start a wildfire that would destroy acres of land for decades. She never had much experience with hiking, or with this, but with the lack of people applying for the four month long stint she was accepted. Placed under Poe, she was brought up to speed and quickly pushed up with him to her tower. It was good construction at least, two stories above the ground and made to withstand fire she felt safe just looking at it. She could even draw up the ladder that would access her living space to prevent anyone from coming near her. 

"So you know how to work a radio right?" Poe asked her, going over the dusty place that would be her home for the coming months. A gravity toilet that she'd need to pump water for, and a small shower that used a solar powered water cistern on the roof. She'd have to pump water for that as well. A large metal, wood, and plastic bunker sat along one wall which contained her food. She opened it and examined it, as Poe adjusted the antennae on the roof, no sign or smell of mice. She knew that smell well enough to know it at first smell, but she was just smelling the warm plastic of the inner lining. "REY!" Poe called and she excited as he hopped down with a grin. "You'll be able to talk to pretty much all of us out here, you might not get to meet them, most of them wander off as soon as their done." he handed her a thick plastic card. 

"What's this?" it had several numbers on it and Poe grinned towards her. 

"Its the designations for all the towers and the forest service. If you have an emergency, or see any flames contact me, or one of the others to confirm it. Or if you want to talk, its all solar powered so it doesn't work to well at night." He put a hand on her shoulder and Rey had to fight not to flinch at the contact. "Just be careful, if you need anything, ANYTHING just ask and I'll bring it to you okay?" Rey nodded, and watched him go with relief. Being alone with anyone was stressful, and she felt like now she could relax. Rey wasn't really her name at all, she had spent at least four days before she applied her making sure Unkar could never find her. She was sure that if she could get some alone time that she could restore her faith in people without having to deal with them trying to touch her. She didn't like being touched. 

Maybe a week into her stint Rey felt a LITTLE lonely, she was enjoying a warm cup of coffee. That was something she could do easily, with the warmth of the sun focused down in a solar sort of heater she could heat water enough to make coffee. Well, fake coffee, it was all the stuff that dissolved in water. But after talking a lot with Rose, and Finn, two people who manned the largest of the fire watch places she felt at least a little sated in contacting people. She set the coffee down just for a moment and leaned back into the wooden chair. She was basking in the last of the warmth of the sun, and then found herself blacking out. 

It was a quick reaction, born of years of harsh treatment. She felt hot breath on her, and then shot her hand out. She rolled, or tried to, the chair had high arms and she only ended up toppling over the entire chair. Something large and imposing stumbling backwards, and she got up hands up in the boxers position. He was swathed darkly. Rey took no chances, and grabbed her cup and threw it directly at the head, or where the head should be, then dived for the door shutting it behind her as she heard it connect with something and a hiss of pain. Latching the door shut blindly she raced for the radio and frowned at it, she couldn't operate it in the dark. Did she dare to grab the lantern by the door? Well outside the door, there was no sound outside and she couldn't even see the vague outline of a person. Thankfully the moon finally broke through the clouds and what felt like minutes the place was lit by silver light. 

There was nothing, no person, nothing out on the deck that spanned around the entire cabin. Rey looked through each window, the whole bottom level had them, her bed was in the 'loft' area well a lot more hidden then it was originally. Her paranoia with the windows all around started on the first night, she had felt like something was watching her, waiting. The night she decided to move it she had heard tapping at one of the windows. Figuring it to be a bird or insect she hid herself, thankful that she could shuffle the storage items up in the loft out and put her bed there. It was a tight space but she slept curled into the fetal position making it slightly better all around. She breathed a bit, it had to be a nightmare, she did have a lot of those. No one could vanish that quickly, and if it were some kind of person they'd be trying to get in. Just in case, she folded herself down with the camp knife the size of her forearm down in front of the radio. 

The sun rose, and swathed the world in light and she never felt more safer. Back to her duties then. Nothing came of the thing, the nightmare, until she went outside and found her mug that had contained coffee still. Her heart was racing looking down at the deck. A very human like shape sat in the splash area and her mug was missing entirely. A quick glance to the ladder, it was up from the ground, she had put it up long before she had fallen asleep on the deck. The forest was cleared all around the watch house, and nothing that close could allow someone to even hop, or glide over to her place. A climber maybe, but with the knife clutched carefully in her hand she put the ladder down and examined the entire underbelly. No sign of ropes, or anything. She hadn't heard anything but the quiet night of the forest. So it was a nightmare, and... she had remembered the mug hitting someone, or something. There was the coffee stain on the deck. Gnawing on her lip, Rey went back to the radio and called up Rose. 

"Hey, Rose?" Rey called into the air waves. It took a long moment for the woman to get to her. 

"Hmmm... god you're up early. What is it Rey? Do you see anything?" Rose's voice was sleepy and thick. 

"No, something... happened last night." Rey gnawed on her lip again, this time worrying the flesh enough to break the skin. 

"Something? Like what do you mean?" Rose said a quiet thankful towards who must be Finn. 

"I... don't know. I think someone was on my watch house." Rose took a sharp inhale. 

"WHAT? Who? What do you mean?" Rey sighed. 

"Well, I fell asleep on the deck, and then I was startled awake, something was there, I KNOW something-"

"Something? You said someone." Rose told her and Rey tasted blood on her lip, she put her thumb in her mouth to give her lips a break. 

"SOME KIND OF THING, I don't know, but I threw a mug of coffee at it, there's a stain, my mug is gone..." Rose chuckled a bit. 

"Seriously? You probably just chucked it into the forest." Rey glanced up and frowned. "If anything it would be a ghost." her heart thudded in her chest. 

"Ghost? I don't believe in ghosts." Rey said quickly. The only ghosts she believed in truly where the ghosts of the past. 

"Oh yeah, lots of people have vanished in these mountains Rey. Hardly any of them were actually found. Me and Finn have seen some shadows moving about on occasion where there are none." Rose chuckled and Rey could hear Finn whispering 'now you're just scaring her!' "Got to go make breakfast now sweetie. Don't worry about anything, just keep the ladder up and latch the door closed kay? If you see something again call, and I'll get Poe to come check things out. who knows maybe there is a creeper around?" 

"OKay... I'm sure it was nothing." Rey didn't sound convinced but Rose seemed to think that way and the Radio went silent. Clicking it off to conserve battery power for the night Rey set to making her own food. Some toast and ready to eat bacon all heated on her little solar stove. As she moved on with the day, she ventured back down to the ground to look for the mug. It was stainless steel and wouldn't have shattered. Nothing, not in the direction she threw it, gnawing on her lip she heard a bear calling out and scuttled out to her home, pulling up the ladder just for good measure. Frowning at the stain, Rey grabbed the gas lantern and brought it inside. It was one thing to consider it a nightmare, and it was another to leave her sole nighttime light source outside for this person to take and leave her in the dark. 

Waiting for nightfall, Rey made a small nest hiding herself under the radio, clicking it back on, the red light on it glowed pulsing slightly. There was a tap, and she froze still. The tap happened again, it was at the door. Then again when she didn't even move her hear racing in fear. 

"I can here your heart beat in there." said a deep male voice. She flinched at the sound, and stayed freaking still as possible as she reached up for the radio. Her hand clicked it on, and nothing. No static. No hiss of feedback nothing. He must have cut the wire, or disabled the dish. Her heart beat rose up a few notches and she had to fight to control her breathing. 

"GO AWAY!" she squeaked instead of shouting in a menacing tone. Whoever it was chuckled. 

"Your cup?" he questioned. She could just see the faintest hint of shadow move around, away from the door. A small flash, the metal glinting in the scant moonlight. A storm was brewing up, and promised to be a long violent one. Rey hated the storms, lightning often struck to near for comfort. The Tower had rods that traveled deep into the ground to keep it safe... and she did not want it to actually strike the rod. "You are safe in there, I can't actually enter. So come talk." 

"Go...AWAY." Rey told him again. Only to get the same chuckle. Apparently he was deciding to stay, she heard the chair creak a bit with weight, she dared to sit up, and try to stare outside. Just the faintest hint again, of someone there. His back to her, she dared to stand up, pulling out the knife. 

"You know, I never intended on harming you. At least until you were outside, then it was too good to pass up." he said conversationally. As if saying he didn't WANT to hurt her should make her feel more at ease. It really didn't but at least the fear had died to a dull throb enough for her to focus. She grabbed the matches and quickly got the lantern on, and heard him jolt up and go to the door. Holding it up she could see... IT, clearly. It wasn't human. Face placed squarely in that area that was just a little off even if for all intense and purposes he was average. Maybe to long of nose and ears, black curly hair. Maybe it was the glowing eyes, and yes, they were glowing as he loomed down at her. He was very tall, and looked down to her hand which still held the knife grinning. Maybe his teeth were too long as well, she was too focused on getting this THING away. 

"GO. AWAY." she snapped, and dared to rise the knife towards him. The bastard just grinned at her. 

"You said that already dear." he mocked, now getting more angry then scared, she set the lantern down to stare at him. "My name is Ren, what is yours?" she stayed silent. "Come on now, I told you I can't enter. We can talk." He hadn't tried to force himself in, a rapist, murder, or monster what have you would have by now. So finally the insanity was catching up. The thing her parents had, that Unkar always told her that she had too. That's why he had to beat her....She shifted and turned away from him. 

"I'm crazy..." she mumbled, and sunk down by the door. The man blinked down at her in confusion. 

"Excuse me?" Rey breathed out and set the lantern down by her feet putting her hands to her face. 

"I'm crazy..." she said into her hands. "Just like them..." 

"Uh... are you well?" he asked her and Rey pulled her hands from her face. She found herself telling him all about Unkar, and about how he said her parents had been committed. That they didn't just abandon her, that he had saved her from them and she should be grateful. If she was really insane, then telling part of that insanity was at least catharsis. She fell asleep there on the door and snapped awake late in the day. The radio was pulsing red, as if it hadn't been disconnected. She was still and sore from her position and her eyes still ached. For the moment she was now still sane. Maybe it only cropped up at night, Rey glanced around, her lantern was out, completely burned out of fuel. A distant rumble told her the storm was almost on her, and she'd have to stay up with it, making cold coffee, for there was little sunlight to get the water warm, she wiped herself down with a wet washcloth to at least feel a bit cleaner. Making sure that the lightning didn't catch anything on fire would be a full time job, and she found herself wrapped up in three blankets in the middle of her home spinning slowly. A light tap, and she ignored it. It wasn't nightfall, she can't accept this thing during the daylight hours. 

"LOOK." the voice commanded, and she finally turned, the monster was deathly pale in what little sunlight could come through the clouds. He wore all black, although with all the wind it looked like his clothes were made from pure smoke. In his hands was the head of Unkar. His fat face with a dumb expression of shock and fear on it. She looked to it and then back to him as lightning flashed around the world. He smiled towards her and she found herself drawn towards the door hand on the knob she looked up to him. "You're not insane." he told her. She could smell the blood that had come from the head. He set it down in the seat of the chair that she had once overturned. "What is your name?" 

"Rey..." she said simply and frowned at herself. His hands were soaked in blood, watching her with avid eyes he brought them to his face and sniffed frowning in distaste. 

"Can I come in and wash?" he asked her, still convinced this had to be an hallucination, of her insanity coming through Rey finally relented. The worst thing that could happen was her running around naked in the middle of winter and dying of exposure. She opened the door to him, and he still didn't walk through. Tilting her head towards him she looked in towards her home. "You have to invite me in Rey." 

"Then... come in?" he stepped warily into the home. He went towards where she had the shower set up, and using the wash cloth washed his hands of blood. She peeked at the head, walking out and touching it. It was cold, and yielded just like flesh did. So she really was insane, that much was clear. Lightning flashed directly over her, and she ducked into the house as thunder clapped directly in her ears. He stared at her, eyes traveling her body for the moment as she shivered. More lightning flashed around her, making the loud thunderclaps. She hugged herself. 

"You're not insane." he told her again and she just shook herself. He walked up to her and she just faced her hallucination head on looking up at him. 

"I have... to be." she said simply and dropped her gaze, Either she was, or this thing, was truly some kind of monster. She wasn't sure what was worse. 

"I am a monster," he answered her unspoken fears. "You'd probably call me a vampire." his hand cupped her jaw and forced her to stare at his eyes. "That man who hurt you, he was going to find you. He had been speaking to Poe, he will come by in the morning with him. But the man will be gone. You will tell Poe that he is an abusive father, understand?" Rey just blinked at him. "Unless you WANT to be put into an asylum." 

"I will." she said simply. He nodded, and moved away from her back out through the door. 

"Good, I hope," he reached down and picked the head back up, it thankfully didn't leave a mark of its presence. "This will be a great friendship." he grinned towards her and vanished in black smoke. Rey was left gaping after the monster, lightning flashed around her again and she ducked back into the house. Part of her shivered. Whether or not she was actually insane should be proven tomorrow. If Poe came by, then she wasn't crazy, then... her heart raced. Then she had been face to face with a monster. One who killed the monster of her past, he had killed Unkar. For her? Maybe so, but Unkar was gone and she finally felt more free with that knowledge. Rey looked out towards the edge of the storm, and to where the sun was now setting. Light filtering through the clouds, maybe he'd come back tonight. She found herself looking forwards to it. Her own monster protector? This place just got so much better now that she felt more safe then ever before in her life. 


	2. {Werewolves}

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey wasn't born a were, unlike most she was cursed. She is put under one of the most experienced and longest lines of were's in order to learn everything, only he has a secret.

Curiosity was never supposed to hurt many people, but when Rey had peeked into a so called 'witch' meeting place she was summarily cursed, and then thrown into a world she hardly could think of existing. She was now stuck with Ben Solo, the alpha of the group she had been dumped in after her first change. She didn't remember anything but brief flashes of blood and dead things. Right now he was frowning towards her his hands moving rapidly and in specific motions. It had to be sign language, and it was a smart thing to do. Her hearing was sharper now and she could hear the shuffling of the people in the next room. She held her hands in her lap, whatever one could feel about being a werewolf paled in comparison when you had just thrown up a whole squirrel head. It was all real, and she had to deal with it, she had dealt with it. Now she just wanted a bit more normalcy. 

With a growl the man, male, wolf, she shook her head and looked up briefly towards him then remembered her place. She was a zeta, worth nothing, kept her eyes trained to the ground. "So I'm to teach you." he said and sat into the chair before her she didn't say anything, and only nodded. If she didn't they said they would kill her for not showing the proper respect. "Are you going to talk?" he questioned harshly. 

"No... I mean yes sir." she said and he frowned towards her, when she didn't speak anymore he sighed in frustration and leaned towards her hands darting out to take her hands in his. 

"I'm not going to hurt you. I don't know what the others said, but I could care less about clan dynamics." he said softly. She chanced looking at his chin, but that was all. She watched him smile, just a little crooked smirk. Her heart thrummed a little into her ears and she wasn't sure if it was fear or something else. Complex emotions were hard to sort through completely now unless she gave them a lot of thought and consideration. "Come along, My families got a cabin, we'll start there." He stood pulling her with him, he looked her over but she still trained her eyes towards the ground. His hands let her go and he shook his head and motioned her to follow him. Swallowing Rey did so, sure that she'd be dead at any moment. 

* * *

 

The ride out to the airport was silent and she could only gape towards him. He put his arm around her shoulders as one of the others waiting around for the plane to roll in from being refueled tried to hit on her. She looked up at him but he said nothing only sat down by her pulling out a book. "This... this is my first ride on a plane." she mumbled towards him. He reached out and held her hand rubbing his thumb across her palm in slow circles. Once sat down, and in the air the brevity quickly turned into boredom. Once back on the ground Rey exhausted from the day slept in the car he had and only woke when he finally rolled to a stop what must have been hours later. Ben slowly guided her into the very... quaint sort of cabin and settled himself into getting a fire going in the hearth. 

"Alright, now that we are alone," Rey's heart raced a bit, the sun was setting, and she was utterly alone in a place she didn't know with a man she had only met not days ago. The other were's had found her quickly after her first transformation. She hung her head down, remembering the events that lead to this. 

She had grown up in the city, hearing rumors that just outside the city in the thick fruit orchids that roamed about the city that witches lingered out and about holding secret meetings. Rey had adored the thought of just waltzing up and demanding to be part of the coven, or making a creepy found footage sort of thing that would net her a lot of cash. Using her scant paycheck she bought a camera and set to work in finding one of those meeting places. No one stuck to rumors, but if there were rumors, there had to be some truth to it. Low and behold on the night of the new moon Rey had found them. Gathered around a small blue fire she recorded them and their entire ceremony. Sacrificing a lamb? That would net her so much money, packing it up, once they were reveling on the aftermath, she had blundered into some guard. Dragged before the witches, Rey had lost her footage, and had been cursed. They splashed her with blood from the lamb chanting something she later learned would be 'blood of the lamb, curse this dame, such as tooth and claw, bound by these words of law, let her forever more wander, and live in desponder' Then tied up and then lead into a place where the farmer would find her she thought little of her adventure, until the first full moon. 

She found herself without thought, only feelings until she woke around twenty others all carrying guns completely naked. She didn't remember anything, and thankfully only killed a few dogs and cats before she was found and taken into the group before. It took them another month to decide what to do, and currently it was only two days before the full moon. She wasn't looking forward to it, her skin was already itching. Ben was frowning at her and she shook herself. 

"Sorry, I was thinking." she explained lamely. He smiled towards her and stood up from the small fire that was now crackling in the hearth. 

"The difference between were's.... only those like you can... curse others as it were." Rey blinked towards him. "That's why you are a lot more dangerous, but also why you are here... with me." Rey stared down at the ground rather then look at him. 

"Rey, I'm not a were." he admitted, and she looked up to him with shock. Gaping fully and forgetting everything that was nearly beaten into her for a whole month. "I need you to bite me.... and not kill me." he grinned towards her. 

"WHAT?" he looked her over and reached out touching her shoulder. 

"I am not a were. It happens...so far no one knows and my place as alpha is, well... tenuous. I've been able to keep them at bay for now, but I need to become a were so that I can remain as alpha like my parents." she was still gaping at him. "You... will get a better place in the clan in exchange I promise." 

"You want me to bite you? Why can't... someone else do it?" 

"Only the cursed can. So far you're the only one on earth that I know of." Rey breathed out and shivered. "I need you to attain just enough control in order to bite me, and not kill me so that I will remain alpha. Hux I think knows of this secret and plans on taking over the clan. NO ONE should want him in charge, he believes that we should allow ourselves to eat humans." 

"OKay... I guess..." she mumbled and was rewarded by a grin. 

"Lets get started then." 

"Why... are you telling me this?" she asked him. 

"Because the only person who would believe you is Hux." 

* * *

 

Rey was hunting, she was breathing in the smell of something, she could even taste its blood in her mouth. There was a desperate sort of taste to it, but she needed to find it, find him. A quick smack on the back of her head and she broke out of any sort of concentration she had and hissed in pain. "IF you can't concentrate under any circumstance you'll lose yourself into the transformation." Ben said blandly behind her. She turned to glare at him. "Glare all you want, but I'd rather not chance death with this." she sighed and positioned herself a little better on the cold ground and reached out in her mind. It was a like half of her brain had been taken up by this curse and this creature that she had become. It didn't like being touched, it didn't like being collared. 

"Concentrate, remember that mankind had befriended and tamed wolves long before they tamed sheep and cattle." Ben's voice intoned behind her. She frowned at least in her head, and tried something else. Ben was right, he had the benefit of college, had the benefit of private schools. She never got the chance for either. The snarling beast inside her headspace decided to try to run and she found herself running beside it. Somewhere distant was something, something to eat, something to-the back of her head was smacked again. She lept, moving fast and knocking the tall figure beside her down. She was on top of him growling, then blinked and just stared down at him. 

"Rey..." he began, and she got off the top of him standing to the side awkwardly. He lumbered up and winced a bit, she could smell the brusies forming on him, it was getting to be night time. Fear rushed into her and she stared down to the ground as he took a step towards her. "Its okay," he soothed and put his hands onto her shoulders. She stared up at his face, he really shouldn't be that attractive, she shouldn't feel anything for him. "I think, its about time to drop you off." he meant in the woods. Nodding she followed up out and deep into the woods. Sunlight was just going out from the mountains around them by the time she was alone and hopefully far enough away to not want to hunt him. 

Her skin felt itchy and hot, and she had to keep her hands at her side to prevent herself from scratching herself raw. She breathed in and smelled something in the air, someone else was in the forest. It was a thick sort of musky smell, and most definitely male. Rey froze still, and stayed that way as a very large wolf crept out from the trees. He must have been on one of the mountain tops, the moonlight was just barely getting past the tops of them here. His fur was a coppery sort of red color and his nose was at her head level. Walking on weird lanky sort of limbs it was her first time actually seeing and KNOWING another were. He sniffed her, and sneered before veering off away from her, towards Ben. That was when the moon's light finally shot out from the sky and landed onto her. The next moments were full of pain, disorientation as the world was bathed into diluted colors. 

She could hear so much more, and nearly taste scents on her tongue. She knew Ben's smell, and knew the others smell. Her heart raced, and she focused on the others smell. He was in HER territory, and that can not be allowed, he was following HER chosen prey and that was even worse. Rage followed her and she followed it, ghosting through the forest. It took a long enough time, for her human side to stall the beast, just behind a spat of trees. Ben was holding a shot gun towards the other wolf, he was steady and without fear. "HUX, what are you doing here?" he asked slowly and carefully. She was struck at how different she was compared to Hux. He was more wolf like, only larger with with more longer legs. She however, was like a human and wolf fused. 

She knew this, because she could focus on the reflection of herself in the window of the shack as she roamed around it to get behind him. Lanky and twice as tall as she used to be, she had long arms and could run, a bit strangely, on four legs but also could walk on two. Her hands ended in long talon like claws, and her head was large and lupine. Hux was likely the result of years of breeding to be more of a wolf, he was growling at her prey, Ben's eyes flicked to the side, towards her, and then back. "I knew you weren't one of us." Hux's voice growled out. It was barely understood, and he grinned. Rey lept onto his back, legs hooking under his stomach, and her arms going around his neck. He nearly screamed in surprise, and then stared to buck, but she was human, and had strong legs and arms. She couldn't just be thrown off, she reared her head back and bit down onto the back of his neck. 

He ran into the forest, and lept back first into a tree, she let go. Not because she was in pain, but because she wanted to face the wolf in front of her. He was panting in front of her, and she could taste his sweet blood on her tongue. She wanted more, he was afraid. He was staring at her like she was a monster, he had very human blue eyes. His eyes darted to the side, towards where Ben was standing holding the shotgun now ready to fire. "This isn't over." Hux said and ran away, deeper into the forest, she was going to move towards him, to follow him but she was staring at the man that was by her. He didn't smell like fear, he was confident and unafraid. 

"Rey, are you okay?" he asked her calmly, as if he was facing her like she was a normal person. She cocked her head and sat by him, she actually saw him flush as he dropped the gun and reached out towards her. She leaned into him as he itched her ear, she couldn't fathom hurting him. He wasn't prey, not afraid, he was friend. "Come on then. Lets get you something to eat." he said simply and she grinned. She WAS hungry, and was glad someone was doing something about it. The other one can wait, she knew he would test the boundary again, and she would be there. 

"Bite?" she questioned, there was something that he wanted, she couldn't exactly place it right now. He looked back to her from the freeze dried MRE's he had. 

"Hmm... perhaps I can get those people who cursed you to curse me. I think they might get a kick out of it." she blinked, curling up near the hearth as it crackled warmly. She liked the fire, it felt nice, Ben made a large meal and set it down in front of her. The human part of her knew it to be 'beef stew' but it tasted salty in just the right way as she ate it. Hux would wait, she knew she could take him, but she kept her attention on the outside sounds just to be safe, she had a friend here. Humans after all, tamed wolves. 


	3. {Angels and Demons}

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey wants to see and map the world, but the battle between two factions prevents her from moving far from her home. One day she is painting clouds and has to agree to be a mate. In order to avoid this fate she ventures out to map the zone between the two factions and finds a wounded solider from the other side. She decides to save his life, taking him back to her home.

 

 

> Painting the same cloud on her easel did nothing for easing out her almost need to wander, she wasn't particularly powerful, nor a great healer. She was basically worthless to the fight, worth only what she could create, or birth...She shook herself and ignored the advancing men, the landed in a heavy sort of thump onto the ground. Poe was at the front, in all his heavenly glory. The battle leader, why he would want to spend time with her was a mystery. "REY!" he called and broke away from his two guards, running at her. She wanted to dive back into her home, set apart from the main city. He smiled towards her and she ignored him to put some more white and a little grey onto her brush to get the cloud before her right. It looked kinda like a tree, spreading out from the top of the mountain. That is where they all were, on the tops of the mountains, down below just at the foot of the mountain was the edge of the battle field. Everything was quite currently, she couldn't see much further then the edge because of the ever present thick fog that laid on the ground. 

"Rey, hey! Look!" he grabbed something from his bag and held it out for her, she examined it, it looked like insect shells, they were a dull sort of red color. "I brought you those bugs you like." he stated and she looked up towards him and frowned. 

"Thank you." she said lowly and reached out to take them, she loved the color red, but the moment she put them into her little stachel at her waist he took her hands and she couldn't pull away without seeming, out. Not that Poe wasn't someone she HAD thought about, but she couldn't think that her only place in the world was just raising up more warriors for the battle. She could fly, she was an expert at flying and drawing at the same time. Desperately she wanted to get out there, beyond the fog and map out the entire world instead of the same unchanging mountain range. At least the clouds changed, but that didn't ease her wistful lust for exploration. 

"Rey, would you do me the honor of being mine?" he asked her and took a knee before her. Panic rushed into her heart and more then anything she wanted to kick him in the face. 

"I... I.... Poe... please...." she tried to come up with any excuse. Poe looked up at her with his bright eyes and curly dark hair. 

"I can't keep them at bay, you'll be banished soon Rey if you don't." Poe stood up and only slightly loomed over her. "Please, I'm trying to help you." he begged she stared down to the ground. 

"Give... give me a day... to get my things... gathered." she whispered. Poe smiled to her large broad wings fanning out, in excitement. Bowing in front of her and kissing the back of her hand he stepped back from her. 

"Thank you Rey, I promise I will... Try my best to please you." she watched him leave silently, forcing her emotions out from her mind. She wanted to sob and cry, to run off, but that would be like banishment. The worst sort of fate, it meant that she wouldn't ever be able to fly again, like the one who taught her how to draw, old Skywalker. But he was long dead now, and now she only had a day left before she would be locked up and be mated. Why her? She frowned trying to recall any other available female, anyone else, and there was none. She shivered, and entered her tiny little hut. What could she do that could stall this? What can she do? Grabbing out her coat, her sketching tablet that attached to her wrist, Rey darted out, ignoring the forgotten painting of the cloud and took a glance around. With the sun fading out, there would be an attack soon, which means the majority would be down near the fog waiting for the incursion. 

Keeping an eye on the distant soldiers down below she skidded down the mountain mostly walking, they were expecting air, not on the ground. Curving slowly around and down, before she was on the edge of the fog just as the sound of the battle began. Distant shouts, divine calls of retribution, swearing, everything that she never heard before. But right now that didn't much matter, she was a little busy drawing the path she took from the bottom of the mountain. Never having seen it from his way before she could see why the other side coveted it so much. All gilt in silver and gold from the last of the rays of sunlight it was like a bright beacon calling them. She locked the memory of it into her head so that she could paint it later, hearing nothing nearby, she fanned out her wings, and shot just above the layer of fog, eyes darting around the area. From above she could just make out the tops of trees, and some land features. The battle was moving back, up the side of the mountain, she could make out the distant flashes of weapons. Keeping up a simple glide she sketched out the area, flipping out the paper on her wrist, to map this area. 

She felt, more then saw something dart out, and she dived below the layer of fog, landing a bit ungainly because she had to avoid a tree. She heard a slightly distant crash, and ducked back towards the tree. "Which way did he fall?" she heard Poe say, but the reply was quickly swept away as they flew quickly over. She stayed silent and still, then looked towards where the crash was. It had to be an ally, she she walked towards it, careful to remain as silent as possible, as several dark forms darted above, trying in vain to see below the fog layer. While one could see just the barest hint of forms and tops of trees, it was far easier to see when you were in the fog. She found the figure, hunched onto the ground still as the grave. 

He was dressed all in black, a far cry from the pure white uniforms of everyone she knew, besides her own grey clothes. She was struck at how similar this 'man' was to her, her wings were the dull grey, his were nearly pure black, they were the same feathers. He groaned pushing himself up, and rolling onto his back. His eyes were dark, and he looked to her. He looked like any other in the city, sharp sort of features, sensitive, and almost caring. A long angry red cut ran down his face, he just stared at her, eyes traveling her body looking for weapons. A moment later, he closed his eyes, and his breathing, eased out as he passed out. Carefully, she walked towards him, settling just out of arms reach. A long red edged sword sat near him, its sheath was on his hip. His clothes had to be a dark sort of fabric and leather, all made to avoid arrows from hitting areas where he would be killed. One arrow, sat broken into his side, and she winced just looking at it. Several other wounds bleed darkly on the fabric, she never was good at healing, but gnawing on her lip she couldn't just leave him to die. 

Careful not to disturb him to much, she was at his side, and gently touched the end of the broken shaft, there was no response. She took out a small knife she used to sharpen the point of her sketching pen, nothing more then a shaft of charcoal pressed into a thick wooden shaft to keep it from breaking up. Cutting away the fabric around it, she winced looking down at the wound. It was red and anger seeping with blood, she knew the arrow head would be difficult to remove. Requiring her to cut his skin because of the way the arrow was designed. Her hands shook as she touched his skin, it felt warm, not cold like she was always told. He groaned but didn't stir, slowly, she grabbed the arrow shaft and gently moved it, she could just barely make out the ends of barbs. Designed to slide smoothly as possible leaving as small wound compared to the larger wound that would come from yanking it out, she bit her lip and widened the cut. He didn't make a noise, didn't groan. Her hands were getting covered in his blood, so she firmly grabbed the arrow shaft at the thick cord that tied the arrow head to the shaft, and gave it one good yank. It slide out without giving her trouble in catching in his flesh. 

He took a sharp intake of breath, and she froze still, one hand holding the arrow shaft, the other holding her small knife as he opened his eyes and looked at her again. "I believe this was the area." said a familiar voice. Rey dropped the arrow and covered the mans mouth before he could make a noise. She could just barely see the distant shape of several forms. 

"If we kill Ren the attacks might cease completely." Poe said, and sighed in frustration. "He may be too wounded to get back to the others, I did hit him good." Poe seemed to sneer, it was a whole other side of him she didn't seem to know. "Fan out, he has to have crashed around here." Rey looked back to the man, he was staring at her, but he was gritting his teeth. Putting one bloody finger to her lips he nodded, she drew her hand away from him. She glanced around, there were obvious signs of his tumble from the sky, broken branches, this place wasn't safe for him. 

She flipped over her notebook, and wrote something down quickly, shoving it as close to his face as possible. "Can you walk?" she asked, he looked from it, then to her, nodding slowly. Smiling, she looked to the forms which were enclosing on them, and quickly pulled him so that he was standing. He made barely any noise, but had to lean on her heavily. She remembered her little mountain path, and headed towards it. They were just at the foot of it when she heard the distant noise of them finding the area he had been in, and grinned. He was panting heavily, and his whole body was shaking, but they made it just to her door when he finally collapsed again. He was heavy, and how he could fly even with his own massive black feathered wings, was a mystery, but she was tough, and nearly rolled him into her low bed. She had him on his un-wounded side, knowing how painful it could be to sleep on wings, but also the wound. 

His face wasn't bleeding anymore, and now she could focus on using what little divine gift she had to heal him. Pressing her hands to his side, he groaned again, but she called onto her low gifts and found them just waiting to be called. Maybe she had gotten stronger since the last time she called forth the power, but she had him healed, ending with just the angry red scar on his side. He healed just like any other, and she found herself smiling. She rose her hand to a few of his other wounds, avoiding the cut on his face. She wasn't feeling exhausted as she should be, and then with a grin of excitement she placed a now stiff with dried blood hand onto his cheek. He felt a bit colder, likely from lost blood, and nearly leaned into her touch. Closing her eyes she called again to her power, and then felt a hand snake out to grab, a little painfully onto her wrist. 

Snapping her eyes open, she was again now staring at this man, who must be named Ren. His eyes were wide and wary, and her hand was frozen on his cheek. "Sush, I'm just healing you." she soothed and slowly, he loosened his hold. She pushed the remains of her power into him, healing the wound, but leaving a scar, she wasn't sure if she could heal the scars. But at the moment she was now exhausted and sighed, as her power ran out with the last of his wounds. He was giving her a wary but just as exhausted look. 

"Why?" he asked her, and she pushed herself up, and pulled her blankets over him. That was a real question, she hadn't even thought about. This was the enemy, this was a solider from the other side. She had just committed treason, if anything would confirm her banishment, this was it. She hadn't even had a single mote of doubt in helping him, she shifted a bit as he fought to remain conscious. 

"I... don't know." she answered honestly. He blinked at her blearily, before finally falling into another exhausted sleep. She headed out, and went quickly towards the silent city. Getting into the bathing house was easy, and she quickly had herself cleaned from his blood, her clothes would be stained, but... she patted her satchel, those red beetles, she would have to set to making the dye, or paint tonight to cover for it, and quickly half ran, half flew out towards her home. Using a small fire she set to that, making sure that she stained more of her clothes to cover the blood stains. 

* * *

 

Poe came back in the morning, and she flashed a smile, just at the entrance of her door holding onto a large painting. "Rey, its..." he tried to begin, but she shoved the new map in front of her. He blinked down at it, eyes trying to recognize the landmarks and realizing that she had painted the fogged grounds, quite well. "This... this is knew..." he took it, mumbling, as he ran his eyes over it, taking it next to his guards, and they were looking down at it as well. "You... made this?" he questioned, Rey only nodded. Poe straightened, and turned towards her. "I have to take this information to the General, I'm sorry." he said and flashed her a smile before flying away. His guards flashed her a look. 

"Making paint." she explained to them and they nodded, before flying off towards Poe and the main city. She let out a breath and leaned against her door, before hearing the one in there warily stand up. She opened it and grinned towards him. "I got them to go away, you're safe." she told him, he looked out behind her, and then nodded. He hand to lean down from the low ceiling, but still eyed her warily. 

"How?" he asked her and she motioned to a series of rolled up paper tubes by the door. 

"I make maps, I made a map of the fogged area, I was flying over it, and heard... all that, found you and such." she tried to explain, but he was staring at her again. His eyes were a darker brown then Poe's and she felt herself drawn to them. He seemed sated with that, and sat down on the edge of her bed. Most of her home was taken up with everything she needed to make maps and to paint. He looked uncomfortable in the home. "At night, you can get out and leave, if you tried now the scouts will see you." 

"I know, I'm not stupid." she grinned towards him and sat just on the inside of her home to stare at him. "What?" 

"What's the other side like?" she asked him, and the blinked at her. "Are there mountains under the fog? Fields? Plantations? Rivers? Trees?" he just stayed there blinking at her. 

"Under the fog? You... you have never been to the foot of the mountain have you?" he asked her. She gave him a confused look. "The fog are clouds, they... stick to the mountain covering it for... ever." he explained. "Below it the fog, is another step of the mountain, and then the... world." She blinked at him and smiled. 

"The world?" he gave her a strange look and shook his head. 

"Yes the world... Do... you never go down?" now she shook her head in a no. "At least mannerisms are mostly similar." he stated lowly. "There is a huge expanse of... land, lots of things." he said and she eagerly listened in. "You're not going to kill me?" he asked. 

"Why would I do that? You can tell me about the world!" that finally got him to smile at her. It was a bit crooked, and more of a smirk but otherwise it was a smile. "But why do you fight?" she questioned and pulled out her pencil to write down the information. Skywalker had told her to learn as much as she could, and if she could learn more maybe she could stall or stop the fighting so she could explore and map this entire world below her. 

"Your side strikes out, steals food from settlements. We try to guard but they always just take. Some have decided to just offer things up as payment so no more die... but it doesn't always work. I'm trying to find out why, and... end the attacks." she nodded jotting it down. Where her food, water, and bugs came from she never really thought about until now. "We wanted to try to ASK y...your people to stop to trade, but we are always attacked..." he was watching her write down everything he said. 

"Skywalker told me to learn everything I can, and he taught me to paint! And draw!" she told him brightly, and saw him just stare at her. "You know skywalker?" 

"I do..." she stumbled up to standing. 

"He's alive then!" he nodded to her. "Can I go with you to him?" 

"I suppose...Why... do you cut... wings off those who are banished?" he questioned and she shrugged. 

"If you can't help society you are useless. I... am mostly useless... I can't heal much, and can't fight well... so the only thing I can be is a mother. Other then make maps!" 

"So you are to be banished?" he asked carefully. She nodded a bit. 

"Unless I mate with Poe," the name made him grimace. "They should be busy with that map, maps are pretty rare, not many people can draw and fly at the same time." He nodded. 

"You were mapping when you found me." he stated, she looked out into the sky behind her. No one was still coming, though that didn't mean that they would not come for her eventually. "What is your name?" 

"Rey!" she told him, and he leaned down and laid down onto her bed. "I'll go get some food, just stay quiet, no one comes to my place... well no one other then Poe. Just stay silent, if someone finds you," she pulled out a long piece of wood, a staff Skywalker had once used, and put it near the bed. "Here." she smiled to him and headed out, to go get her food ration for the day. 

* * *

 He wasn't exactly sure how to go about things. He had spent his life being told that the moment he reached the top of the fogged area that he would be killed. That any solider he took up with him would be executed, to be fair they were. As now the sole survivor of his troop he had to get back down there or try to discover why these people raided the world down below. Ren was the sole son of two who had been banished he was the best bet at being able to do so. 

When he had to retreat several times after speaking, trying to with who must be Poe, he had gotten troops up to this top, only to find them all dead from arrows. He himself should be dead, and he was thankful for the girl, how could he not be? She appeared to be more in line with what Skywalker was like then this Poe. Kind, gentle if ignorant about pretty much everything. 

He poked around her home, or hovel, and found it pretty much exactly like Skywalkers home. They could be one in the same, she had endless paintings stacked of clouds, then there was a truly lovely one of a sly in sunset, done in reds and golds it was quite the work. He was staring at it when she came back with a small bundle in her hands. "I got food! Just give me a moment to cook it!" She gathered up several of the cloud paintings with a bit of a frown and went outside to a small cooking area. He could just barely see it from a truly tiny window. 

It was claustrophobic, but he stayed still setting the painting aside. He watched her as she broke up the paintings and used them as fuel to cook a type of stew. He ducked further in once he saw a form dart out from the sky, and landed nearby. Poe, he knew that face anywhere, slowly as to ensure as little sound as possible he searched for a better weapon then the staff. He found a longer knife, stained with mostly white paint, and held that just on the outside of the to listen to the conversation. 

"You're burning your paintings?" He asked and Rey started looking up to him. 

"Where's your guard?" She asked him looking to him and then back down. From her hunched posture he could tell she was defensive, and knew pretty much why. Poe, and any other he had encountered had white wings, hers were a grey and his were black. His parents might have had black or grey wings. From her home here, away from others he could put two and to together. They didn't like those that didn't have white wings. 

 "I don't need them now that you've agreed." he stated, and she nodded simply and stirred the pot still not looking to him. "REY." he said in warning. 

"I just wanted to see the sun set one last time." he barely heard her voice. But Poe sighed, and then slumped his shoulders. "Just one last time please. I'll go to you once dark hits." 

"Very well." He looked her over and then left. After he had finally disappeared from view she sighed in relief and looked towards the hut and smiled. He was her only escape wasn't he? From this thing that Poe wanted, he slipped back to the bed and waited for her to come with food. He had a lot of questions in his head, that could be answered later, for now he was safe. She was protecting him, she healed his wounds and so far was trustworthy. She was now heading inside, ducking in, and rummaging around, finding a few bowls she looked at him briefly before heading back out and then came in with a steaming bowl. 

"Thank you." he drank the broth, it was fairly simple, but she seemed to enjoy it. He noted there was only vegetables in the stew. "What was that about?" he delved once done, her cheeks turned pink and the blinked. 

"I'm to be his mate." she said lowly. 

"I'm sorry?" she looked up to him and smiled, shoulders finally slumping down. She sighed likely in relief and took a long drought of the soup. "I suppose that is a bad thing for you." he hedged carefully. 

"Yes it is, I want to get out, I want to make maps, I want to learn more." he chuckled, and for a moment she flinched, then blinked towards him. "You... wont hurt me for wanting to do that?" 

"Of course not!" she smiled at him, and he smiled towards her. "Do you know why they... are raiding?" 

"To get more food, to make more children. It takes a lot of supplies to do so." she looked down and away from him cheeks pink again. 

"I'm not sure I understand..." he bit one her lip and set the empty bowl down. 

"You don't know?" she asked softly and he shook his head. "We are either born or made, if made... there can be flaws. I'm... the only one so far without flaws. Skywalker made me!" she explained, a bit brightly near the end. "The brightest one has trouble sometimes, so most of the flawed ones are... the ones that raid for supplies. Poe was born, to parents and... um... no female is safe for him to... mate with without... trouble." He flushed a bit in realization. Small communities, he would guess, to many...he shook his head from the thought. 

"How did Skywalker make you?" 

"Where I get my rations, there is this... thing you put your hands on it, and you can get food. But there is another one, that he said could make..." she gestured between them. "Us. He found it, and used it to make me. He... got in a lot of trouble for that, but they were going to use him to make more.... but the brightest one banished him. That's what takes many supplies, have to have the right materials to make... a person?" He nodded. 

"So he used them up to make you? But this thing that MAKES food? Why not use that and just... go back and forth?" 

"Not... many can use it... it doesn't like many people." she said carefully. "It likes me so I get my food there sometimes." 

"What, is this thing?" She looked up to the ceiling. 

"A large room, there is this table, you put your hands in circles and they light up, and a voice talks in your head. It asks what you want. If it doesn't like you it talks loudly and it hurts. Poe used to be able to use it...but now he can't. I think I'm the only one who can use it now." 

"Why... does it like you?" she shrugged, and he thought a moment. "Why did Skywalker make you?" she brightened again. 

"He told me that he wanted someone who would never be corrupt. Or at least something like that, who'd always have just the right amount of strength for something... so... I think that backfired, I've never been strong." 

"But you saved my life..." she shrugged again. "I suppose that is enough for me..." he said and sighed. She must not be a good part of the society that seemed to teem around here. There was the brightest one, that must be the leader. Poe was a warrior, this Rey must be an outcast, just for her coloration. No wonder he wasn't treated well. "Rey.." he began. 

"Yes?" she looked back at him. 

"Are you sure you want to come to my home?" she laughed. 

"Its better then doing nothing but being a mother! I'm sure it is!" She looked so hopeful, and he couldn't stop reaching out towards her. She didn't flinch when he put a hand on her shoulder. 

"It will be. I promise." she grinned to him. "Get some rest, I can keep watch." he moved away from the bed, so that she could lay down. She shifted a bit, but then settled down to sleep. 

* * *

 Rey woke when the guy gently prodded her awake, the world was swathed in roses and reds as the sun started to set. Jolting up she shifted carefully around him to look outside. The city was silent, and there was no sign of Poe. "Come on now, most are settled in for the coming night." he hesitated for a moment, but slipped outside. He looked to the city with a frown, but followed her down to the small peak that her home sat on, the main city sprawled on the expansive top of the mountain. For a moment she was afraid he was going to dart towards it, but he shook his head and followed her down towards the path that would take them into the fog. If they flew down they could be spotted, he veered away, and for a moment she paused until she realized he was heading towards the place he had been, where she had found him. "I'm guessing you know my name?" he asked, looking around, he found his blade, stuck into one gnarled and mostly dead tree. It looked like someone had tried to break it, but he yanked it out of the tree. 

"Ren? Poe called it out." Rey said and he sheathed it back onto the once empty sheath on his hip. "Where do we go from here?" 

"Down, below the clouds." He held a hand out to her, she hesitated a moment but took his hand as he lead her down this small depression in the mountain and just below it, in a sort of spout formation the clouds or fog stopped, revealing the expansive land below her. This mountain was part of a large range, some even taller then this one. Just below her were tiny sort of green expanses, roaming around tiny dark spots that had to be cities. The sun, was setting faster the lower they went finally vanishing at a point where they could no longer climb down. A sheer cliff face sheering upwards like the land had just been thrown upwards. The moon suddenly casted its light into the world bathing the entire land into dull grays and silvers. "From here we need to fly... try to keep up with me." Rey screwed her face up as he threw himself into the air with a bit of a wince. She followed, and actually marveled a bit how much easier it was to fly. 

It seemed like the air was thicker, and she was far lighter then he was, chancing it, now that they were below the layer of clouds, she flew circles around him. Maybe this was why he was so heavy, living down on the ground. He was scowling towards her, but she easily kept pace as they made a slow descending half circle around the mountain. This was the last in the range, it ending just on the edge of a large blue green expanse. Which was now all a dark blue gray sort of color. The ground which had once were small sort of patches of what must be farmlands were a lot bigger, then she expected. The cities, where also large, and now she could make out distant sort of pure black sort of forms crawling down long lines that sometimes were straight other times curved outwards. Ren lead her towards a small, a truly small, sort of place with only a few homes and houses. He settled onto the ground heavily, patting and shaking. He looked to her she barely felt much exhaustion, it wasn't hard work to fall downwards, all that was needed was to keep from going to fast. 

She had a frightening moment that maybe she wouldn't be able to get back into the sky, she did feel quite the bit heavier, but a few torches, or lights, were lit and a familiar face seemed to stumble out from one of the larger buildings here. Skywalker, he blinked towards her. "Rey? What... Ren... you.." he began he looked much older then the last time that she had seen him, but he put a hand onto her shoulder. 

"The rest are dead," Ren explained and the old man that was Skywalker frowned. "She saved my life." for a moment he looked to her then to Ren. 

"Rey, you ran away?" he asked and she nodded. "You know that they'll come for you!" It was odd seeing him without wings, many of the others she didn't know but their eyes were traveling avidly down her back and Ren's. Her power, which seemed to always never be there in full was a teeming mass that she could barely contain as all these people slowly approached them. Putting her hands onto Skywalkers shoulders she pushed her power into him, and in a short rush, he doubled down, light furling out from his back, as darker grey then her wings sprouted out from his back. Mindlessly she went towards the others, these were the ones that were banished, it seemed to take a long time, but soon, all of them were doubled down onto the ground with their wings back. Ren looked to her, her power was gone now, faded into nothingness. Skywalker recovered, standing up, wincing, with the unfamiliar, but familiar weight. 

"We'll be ready for them now." Ren stated and smiled to her. She grinned back, feeling far happier with her life then she had since Skywalker had been banished. He reached his hand out towards her and she took it, letting him pull her closer to him. The old man looked around at what could pass for a very angry army of winged beings, all with dark colored wings. Ren was the only one with black wings however, just like she was the only one with the closest to white. She might not be much up there on top of the mountain, but down here, these people were looking at her like she had just given them their lives back, and maybe she had. She had use here, plus, she had so much more land to map here. Even if it did mean not knowing much about this world, she'd learn. She did like this Ren, and hoped to stay near him in the coming times, she reached out and brushed a bit of his hair back. 

He blinked towards her, and smiled, she couldn't help but smile back to him feeling giddy and light. 


	4. {Mythological Monsters- Selkie}

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After ratting out Unkar, her boss from his stolen car gig, Rey is sans a job. After browsing a cragislist ad, she finds herself house sitting near the sea for a very strange man for a job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some trouble thinking of what creature I wanted to do. I haven't seen selkie ben or Rey, though this might be close the Merfolk one I'll be writing later. (Irish folklore didn't much differentiate between mermaids, and selkies...) ALSO, this contains NUDITY, and heavily implied sex.

"Rey you can't just house sit for some creep on the internet." Finn told her for the twentith time. Rey sighed, and glanced towards her roomie Finn. It was blazing hot and both of them were sweating in the apartment. The landlord was trying to fix the air conditioning in the background, and she was waiting for said creep to start calling her on skype. After the whole debacle with Unkar she had lost out on a job, and Finn ironically enough had landed an even better one writing for the city paper. She had lost out on her job, while elevating her friend, and while that was well and good when your reputation is sullied by the contraversy of exposing a long running stolen car scheme, which has yet to die down, she couldn't find a job that marketed towards her skills. Not even the poorest junkyards would take her, not that she could make it out there. At least house sitting was something she could do, and since it was over two hundred miles away she could look around in that city on the bay it should hopefully be far enough away for her to get a job working with cars again. At least the FBI had stopped thinking she was complict in the whole ordeal. Rey had actually made a friend, and Finn more of a girl friend, in the one sent to keep watch on her. Rose Tico, who actually for free looked into this and found the guy a legit person. No criminal record, and she felt safe enough in contacting him with Rose's blessing. 

"FINN. I need a job, and I can't afford to move out, this guy so far promised to get me out there, AND pay me to sit on my ass in his home." she told Finn again who frowned towards her. "Plus, if I get away from here, and you, Rose can move in." she added lowly. He frowned at her, and then blinked as skype pinged at her. 

"You'll call on the way there? When you get there? Everyday?" he asked and she waved him out, and away. Touching up her hair, even though it was pulled back into several buns along her head she clicked answer and tried to smile. It felt desperate, so she dropped it quickly to at least look presentable. She was wearing short shorts, but at least her top, was very presentable. Finn lingered just to the side away from the camera as she finally skyped the guy and saw his face. IF anything he was handsome. The kind of face you'd seen emblazoned and carved on old roman marble statues, impassive and wearing a suit his longish black hair was brushed back from his face and eyes. 

"Rey?" he questioned, and she nodded. They had been in contact via email for the past week, and she was sure that was mostly because of him doing background checks. From what little she could see behind him, he must be very posh. 

  
"Yes Solo Sir." she said and smiled, then dropped it a moment later it still felt desperate. He didn't smile, but nodded in a severe sort of motion. Their eyes seemed to lock distantly, his eyes were a darker sort of brown, with maybe sort of orange color added to them. She couldn't be sure, but maybe he was smiling just the lightest bit. "So, I guess the background check cleared?" she hedged and then got a smirk. 

"Very good, you're honest at least." he said and shuffled some nearby papers. "I'm guessing you need to get out and away from this... thing?" she frowned but nodded. 

"Yeah, I can't get a job locally, Unkar was well liked by everyone and they kinda see me as... the person who popped the bubble." He shifted a bit and she wanted to squirm and resisted it. "I'd rather work with cars, so I'll be looking for a job there so that I can get my own place too." He chuckled. 

"Not exactly needed, My garage has a small loft on the top, you can stay there once this is done if you like." 

"Rent?" 

"Negotiable depending on how well you treat my home." he said and now she felt her smile be far more genuine. 

"Why is he looking for a house sitter?" Finn asked, non to quietly and she glared towards him. 

"Because I have a lot of business to take care of. I have good security, but that was bypassed not long before I posted the ad. I want someone THERE to deter anyone else. Nothing of true value was taken, but I would like to ensure that doesn't happen again." he answered. Finn leaned into view of the camera and stared at the man with narrowed eyes. 

"I'm her..." Finn began a bit crossly until Rey shoved him out of the way. 

"I can take care of myself." Rey scolded and Finn looked a bit hurt. "Now shoo, I'm trying to negotiate." 

"You need me to pay for your travel?" he asked and she flushed. "That is fine." 

"How can we trust you?" Finn demanded from the kitchen. Rey almost threw her water cup at him, the hard plastic cup wouldn't hurt...much. 

"I sincerely doubt anyone would had nefarious intentions would make all his intentions clear and public." he said. Finn, at least nodded now more sated with her choice. "Details can be worked out with a phone call. I can get my personal assistant to help you." he shuffled something else. 

"Thanks, thank you for this opportunity!" Rey said, and he looked back towards the camera, or her. 

"Yes well, I was thinking of getting a guard dog as well, but my business would take me for days at a time for a while." 

"OH! I love dogs!" Rey said brightly. The man nodded. "I can take care of dogs! So long as it wont be a monster I can walk them!" She really needed to get out of this city. 

"Hmm...then perhaps you can choose the dog, I don't mind them either." he mumbled and then nodded. "Lets get down to business then." she smiled at him and sighed in relief. 

"I got the job?" she asked lowly and was rewarded with a light chuckle. 

"Yes, rather you then someone dishonest." the comment was strange, but she was glad someone saw that her reporting of Unkar's crimes saw her as someone HONEST rather then a betrayer. 

* * *

 

"Dear god Finn, at least give me two seconds!" she yelled to her phone juggling it, and her bags from the car. Mitaka, Mr. Solo's assistant was trying to tell her he could handle it, that it was his job, just as Finn was almost yelling into her phone for her to respond or he was calling the cops. 

"Peanut, you know I worry about you." Finn mollified, when Mitaka just stole her bags, rolling them up the long concrete that looped into the large home that she would be watching for the coming month. She gaped after him him and glared to her phone, hiking her shoulder up to plaster the device to her ear. 

"Yes I KNOW, but you are seriously going overboard. I'm FINE Finn, I'm at the house now, I'd LIKE to get a good look at it, but you're in the way." Finn sighed on the other end as she passed her personal bag into her other hand and finally grasped her phone dropping her shoulder. 

"Okay then, call me once you get settled and text me once you go to bed." Rey groaned. 

"YES DAD." she snapped and hung up the phone. The marveling at the home was a bit soured with Finn's overvillagence on her. It had a main sort of courtyard the home, which appeared to be three stories was walled around with thick concrete walls saw for the gated entrance to the front and a small gate in the back which lead towards his own private beach. Barely the size of her shared apartment beach, but a beach non-the-less. He promised that she could lounge as much as she liked there, so long as she didn't leave trash, or such. The air smelled like water and salt, and she could close her eyes at the different smells. This home was just on the edge of the city that curved around the bay. Mostly a rocky shoreline man had created a sea wall beyond the mostly complete circle to avoid harsh waves. This sat, on one of those curves, just on the inside so that the main sea was behind it, and the city sprawled out like some pearl in a shell in front of it. 

The home looked like a old southern plantation without columns or that sort of veranda sort of looks. In fact as she looked up and around there didn't appear to be any balconies that faced the city. He did say he had some, but a rush of excitement rushed into her, they must all face the sea. That would be wonderful, to watch the sun set with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate, seeing a storm just on the horizon flash with lightning. It looked like there used to be ivy that grew on the home, but the vacant area it was one was showcased by lighter stone exposure and the remains of leaves plastered to the wall. Maybe it was around the inside of the wall as well but now everything was more cultivated for less chance of breakins she would assume. Low grass, only a single lone tree stood behind the home, a large palm tree, its leaves rattled in the gentle breeze. Breaking herself from the home she shook herself and followed Mitaka to the entrance. Ducking in, she was aware of how little she had in finer clothes, but at least she had be able to get a hand-me-down from Rose of a simple suit, so that she wasn't exactly out of place. Just dark blues, with a skirt that ended just at her knees she had forgone the heels for her old black dress slacks. 

Mr. Solo was waiting for her, he was taller then she expected, he bowed his head holding his hand out towards her. "I guess you find it satisfying?" he questioned, and she flushed, before shaking his hand. 

"Yes, I'm sorry, but your home is beautiful!" she said and took a breath in when he simply took her bag from her arm, and motioned her to follow. Blinking she did so, shoving her phone back into her pocket. The inside was no less grand then the outside, though simple. It seemed this man was minimalist since the break in. 

"Its not my home, its the home of my father, I just live here." he told her and she nodded, as he lead her up, and to a truly expansive room. Her other bags were waiting for her here. He set her bag down, and then bowed his head again. "I'll leave you to get settled Rey." 

"Yes, thank you! Thank you so much Mr. Solo, sir!" she almost could see pink on his cheeks. Being near him now, she could smell someone that obviously spent a LOT of time on the sea, he smelled just like the salty breeze that she had smelled outside. 

"I prefer Ben, please, call me that. Mr. Solo is more of my late father." he said and rubbed the back of his neck. She bowed in half towards him. 

"Yes sir." he sighed and paused a bit like he was looking for something to say. 

"I am still a bit surprised you're a girl, If you like, I have several guard dogs in mind, so I can take you towards them tomorrow." he said and she leaned back up smiling. 

"Oh! Yes! Aren't you a bit worried I might take the dog?" she asked him and he chuckled. 

"I might prefer it. SO long as you can take care of them." she smiled and nodded to him, he opened and closed his mouth before leaving. He must not get out much to talk with people. Probably fully homeschooled kid, poor guy. Well, she wasn't sure how old he was exactly, but now she was here, house sitting for him, and maybe even got a dog in the future to look after. Other then the more vicious guard dog that Unkar had, she did have little experience, but the internet was at her fingertips and she was sure she could keep good care of it. Looking around her room, it was a very good, but very spartan guest room. All her things were in storage, staying here was like staying at a hotel room. He didn't even have paintings from what she saw, but then those could have been all stolen, so there wasn't much trouble with that. She'd be protected, and more then likely not a single one of Finn's fears would come true. Sitting down on the edge of the massive bed Rey sighed, and texted Finn rather then call him. 'oh dear I'm captured and forced in a tower!' she texted. 

'Don't joke around Rey!' was Finn's reply as she texted with him as she got her clothes settled in the empty closet. Truly bigger then her own small room in the apartment back 'home'. All in all her things that she had took up less space then herself in the closet. Even if she had all her personal things she was sure it wouldn't be much more space, there was the promise of maybe reduced rent for this place. She didn't think it would be anything less then 10k a month however, but she could browse for a better job then her last one at least. 

* * *

 

He didn't exactly feel well in that there was a very pretty woman in his empty home. He was drawn to her with the first look at her, and was sure it had to be just a part of what he was. But pretty soon he didn't have to worry much about it, once he settled this thing with his family down he could give her a lovely severance and see her well off. He wasn't a monster, even though at times he felt like he was. He watched her avidly as she walked down to where he was in the kitchen. She seemed more then impressed at his home, even as spartan as it was. Even without the theft he had been selling off everything that was his fathers. He may even thank the men that had broke in for taking the rest considering things. "Wow, this looks like some restaurant kitchen." she commented. He had two fridges, and a large six burner stove. Well, his FATHER had those things. This was his inheritance as it were. 

"Yes," he said and opened one of them waving in the storage space that contained a lot of what people would eat. He made sure Mitaka ensured that one, and then closed the door. The other fridge was more of a pure freezer holding more fish then any other thing. "Freezer." he said simply and she nodded. "You are welcome to eat what you like, or cook what you like provided you keep it clean. I have to hire a new cleaning staff that is trustworthy." he told her and she nodded again. "If you need more just ask Mitaka, I'll give you his number." 

"I... don't know if I can pay for it..." she said lowly. 

"Its fine. I need to eat as well. I don't mind things, though I enjoy fish the most." he watched as she poked around a bit in the kitchen. 

"Are... you really sure?" He chuckled at her comment. She was the most trustworthy that he had encountered from the ad, and her background check provided all the more reason to trust her honesty. 

"Yes I'm sure. I have plenty to burn at the moment, I even plan on eventually selling the place." he explained. She made a 'oh' with her mouth and grabbed a small jug of milk. 

"So I can eat and drink this?" he confirmed with a nod and she sighed in relief. "Thank you again, I don't know if I can actually express that enough!" Yes she was the right choice. 

"You can thank me by treating this place well, and keeping any others at bay." she grinned towards him. 

"Got any cars that need fixing? Or maybe boats?" her tone was desperately hopeful. He didn't, but that could be arranged, it would give her something to do, and she wouldn't go poking around his home. Not that he left THAT anywhere that wasn't near him anymore. It was too close a call, but thankfully the robbers didn't think it in having any value leaving him free. 

"Possibly, I'll have to get Mitaka to check." 

"I just will be so bored..." she said lowly. He blinked and smiled towards her. 

"There is a library here." he told her and she smiled so brightly towards him that he felt his heart flutter a bit. But no, he couldn't dare try. That was the fate his mother had gone through, and he wasn't going to force a person to stay with him, even if his nature called for it. He could take care of her like a princess, but his own mother had been treated as such, and even then she was now dead. His father had decided on killing himself as a response to that, leaving him alone in his life and learning about himself from distant relatives. He found his own mothers... shaking himself he lead her towards the library and enjoyed her relief in having things to do. "I'll be gone for the next week, if there is anything you need just contact Mitaka, he will get you it, or take you to get it." 

"Thank you again Ben!" she bowed in half before him and he glanced away before he could catch another look at her cleavage. While the suit jacket she had on covered much, when she bowed one could get the barest glance at the clothes underneath, or rather just her bra. It was quite warm out. He left her there, making sure to get Mitaka to get her, or the home the animal. He had a lot of things to do, walking down to the sea, in a small very nicely concealed hollow in the wall he pulled out a large seal skin, and glanced out to the sea. What was left of his family was waiting for him out there, and quite frankly living in the sea was a better prospect then living on land. 

* * *

 

It had been almost a week since Rey had started house sitting, Mitaka on the first day 'alone' took her out to a shelter and she choose one of the dogs there. An ex-military dog, or ex-police dog, the animal went up higher then her waist and was a shaggy brown indeterminable breed. Named Chewie, he had quickly gotten used to her and the home, though he spent hours a day patrolling the grounds. The day had been very hot, to the point she was wearing nothing but a tank top and short shorts, not wanting to run up the bill he had for cooling. It was near sunset when she couldn't take much more of the heat and decided to grab some fluffy towels and go down to the beach and at least dip her toes in the cold water. "No no, stay." she told Chewie as the large dog huffed at her, staring plaintively at her not to go. "I'll be back." she soothed, and walked up and down the arm to the small private beach. There was a small chair up high enough so even high tide couldn't reach it, and she settled her towels in it. Stepping out into the water she shivered at the cold water and happily splashed up to the shelf and up to her waist to splash the cold salt water on her face and chest. 

Sated with the chilly water she heard a low barking of a seal, and desperately wished for a camera or her phone. She had been able to take a distant picture of some lounging on the beach this morning but didn't want to disturb them in getting any closer then a balcony. They were large animals and one should chance wild animals in liking being petted or intruded upon. Rey darted up and wrapped a towel around her, she hadn't even thought about getting a swim suit, and her denim shorts promised to start chaffing really soon if she didn't get out of them. A splashing sound and she froze in the fading light and watched as a large seal pulled itself onto the beach, it was fully larger then her and while still having a cut little face was very intimidating in size. 

The sun splashed down into the world, setting the world into slivered light from the moon. She watched the creature move in a unnatural sort of way, and then with a small flick, it was Ben, Mr. Solo, wearing what seemed to be a thick seal skin cloak. He took a few steps further onto the beach, and she noticed then that he was wet and completely naked other then the cloak. Rey made a strangled sort of sound and he flinched and met her eyes. 'don't look down, don't look down' she repeated to herself trying to stare at his face instead of actually, her eyes darted down and she flushed covering her face and dropping her towel managing something out from her throat as pure mortification filled her at her actions. 

* * *

 'shit shit shit shit shit' Ben repeated to himself, he was completely frozen, the girl had just watched him pull off the skin, changing himself back into a man. Her eyes darted down, and then she made another strangled noise this time with words.

"OH GOD ARE YOU DOING NAKED?" she cried out, dropping the towel around her and covering her eyes with her hands before turning around. He forced himself to relax, this wasn't the worst thing ever. She was more distracted with the naked bit, maybe he could play it off, he hoped he could. Shrugging off the skin, he moved it so that it was in front of him and covering himself. "Decent the shame!" she called and stilled herself before she could glance back. 

"Decent enough." he called, and flushed when she finally glanced back, her face was nearly beet sort of red. She darted her eyes down, and then turned back staring up at the house. "Rey... I..." 

"HOME DOG! GO NOW!" she managed and then, fled up to the house. A dog barked happily once she got to it, and he blinked in her wake. From the hidden cave he pulled on more of a covering, a thick robe packed in plastic, before gathering up the towels she left behind and followed her to the house. The dog, sniffed at him, and growled once, before settling back into the house towards the sound of a shower. He went to his own room and followed suit, getting himself clean of the ocean and getting himself into loose slacks. No shoes and shirt he waited for her to emerge from the shower, she was wearing almost a full set of fuzzy pajamas, including some ratty slippers. She was shivering, and he frowned, grabbing one of the ever present blankets drapped on the edge of a couch and handed it to her. She seemed frozen, so he unfolded it and wrapped it around her shoulders before guiding her down into a kitchen chair frowning at how he could explain this. 

"Rey, I'm not sure how to explain..." he began and that seemed to snap her fully aware, the dog pushed himself between Rey and himself, giving him a sharp sort of look before settling onto the ground with another low growl. 

"Down Chewie, he's fine." Rey said clearly teeth chattering a bit, she pulled the blanket a bit further around her shoulders. He went into the kitchen and started to make some coffee, she was flushing again when he turned back towards her. 

"I don't know... what you saw." he tried and she gaped towards him. Then dropped her head down cheeks heating up again. 

"Swimming naked is good?" she seemed to manage and then slapped her hand into her face. "I am so sorry." she said softly. 

"Its okay. What... did you see?" 

"PLEASE STOP ASKING THAT!" she yelled and he flushed, maybe his secret was safe. "WHY WERE YOU SWIMMING NAKED?" He poured the coffee down into two mugs, and she drank hers down with little thought to cream or sugar. Grimacing she put the now empty mug and tried again to stare at him. 

"Rey what do you know about... fair folk?" he questioned and she seemed to finally relax a bit more. 

"Tinkerbell? I think right?" he gnawed a bit on his lip. 

"Sort of, I'm... a selkie. I can transform into a seal with a skin." he tried and she just was staring at his chest. "Rey are you listening to me?" 

* * *

 

Rey was far to focused on his chest, and the fact that Ben had nipples that were peeking out, and she was thankful that she had the forethought to push her bra back on after the frozen shower she took in order to stop her thoughts from racing down to... well down. "Rey are you listening to me?" Ben asked and she glanced back to his eyes and flushed, before finally tearing her eyes away from him to focus down into her mug. What was he saying exactly? Something about fairies and seals and she really felt like she needed to sit on a iceberg. The few fumbling times she had spent in highschool, later a few one night stands, really no one she had ever been with compared with the shirtless guy before her. 

"You were naked swimming?" she questioned and she looked back at him as he blinked at her. "Not naked?" she glanced down even when she knew he wasn't naked anymore, flushing again she pushed her forehead onto the cool marble of the kitchen island she sat on. She really had to think carefully before she spoke, this guy was her employer she told her brain. It didn't help that his hands were warm when he touched her and she was still shivering from the shower. "Please stop thinking of being naked." she begged lowly, and heard him intake a breath. "I'm SO SORRY!" she tried, and looked back up at him. He smiled, then chuckled, the chuckle going into a full deep laugh. 

"No, not is fine." he told her gasping in a breath. "I... hmm..." he reached out and took one of his warm hands into hers. "Do... you swim naked Rey?" he asked her, and she felt an electric thrill go up her arm. He pulled her palm up to his chin, and kissed her palm. "You're cold still." 

"Please warm me up." she answered quickly, then flushed. He grinned towards her, and he moved, putting the kitchen island behind him so that he was right there beside her. Her mind kept playing his naked body on loop. How the water ran rivulets down his skin, and how much like her initial impressions of him being like a chiseled roman statue was. He rose a hand and put it on her cheek. He glanced down, and she could watch as his adam's apple moved as he swallowed. 

"Are... you sure?" he asked her. Her decision was made for her, when she felt the warmth coming off his body. She leaned forwards, he really did smell like the sea, and kissed his chin. He seemed to still for a moment, working something in the back of his head, before he leaned down and kissed her gently. 

She not only kissed him back but let her hands roam up to his corded shoulders and nearly moaned from feeling his muscles there. Arms around his neck she pulled him closer and Chewie gave a huff under her slipping out from between them before he could be stepped on. His hands roamed up her sides, just before breaking off and pulling off her shirt. As exciting the prospect was of being pushed onto the counter, Ben solved the problem, by sweeping her into his arms carrying her up the stairs and into his own suite. His room was less spartan then the rest of the entire house. Here she could actually see the person he must be. A short bookcase with books that had creased nearly unreadable titles, a open desk that had a quiet computer sitting on it. A small door opened into a bathroom, and another closed might lead into expansive closet. 

A nervous sort of air filled the room, both were fairly uncertain about how to continue. Rey solved such a matter by reaching back and unhooking her bra before tossing to somewhere in the room. His adams apple swallowed down, and fairly hesitantly he cupped a breast in his hand. She shivered, and smiled pulling him closer towards her to kiss him again. The next few moments were touching, pushing her further onto the mattress. Her fuzzy pajamas were already halfway down her legs by the time she was pushing his down. It wasn't fair that he wasn't wearing any boxers or briefs compared to her undies. He ran a kiss down the side of her neck, down her collarbone and then to her breast. 

No longer shivering he was like a full on radiator, she brushed her hands through his hair her nails working through the thick strands. From the low sighing moan he really liked that, but finally, finally his fingers hooked under the waist of her undies and he pulled them down. From here she was more then glad there wasn't a whole household of people, though Chewie huffed in clearly a bit upset with the noise. But sated that no, she wasn't being hurt. 

* * *

 

It was near the morning when he felt her stir, the dog she got had decided to lay down in the doorway while giving him a glare whenever he looked over to the animal. Rey was curled into him, snoring lightly in a fairly pleased sort of sleep. While he still wasn't exactly sure if he secret was exactly safe considering things, he wasn't as upset at this sort of turn. His uncle would be nearing heart palpitations, he had been vying for Ben to find some mate. Most of the actual female selkies were well taken care of, and sheltered to the extreme. It was rare one would venture out into the world now. It was too dangerous. Rey stired a bit waking up and yawned stretching out. She turned and nestled further into his chest. "Rey, we're you listening to me last night?" he asked and he felt her frown. 

"Something about seals right?" she mumbled a bit sleepily. 

"I'm... what's known as a selkie." She kissed his collarbone. "I can change into a seal with a skin?" she hummed a bit happily. "Rey?" 

"Hmm... my friend Finn went on about how you can be a serial killer and to look for skeletons and bodies here so... I don't care?" He chuckled, hand resting on her side. "Can you let me take a good picture to show him?" she asked, and he blinked. 

"Why?" he ventured looking down at the top of her head. 

"Wild animals are dangerous..." she breathed in slowly and fell back asleep. He relaxed a bit, maybe, maybe she'd stay even after all this. His uncle wouldn't like that he chose a fully human woman, well... one can BECOME a selkie. He chewed his cheek in thought. It could all wait, they both had plenty of time. He'd shower her with pirate gold, or rather, gold in general. There was plenty littering the sea floor... pulling the blanket a bit further up he decided to have a late morning. She snuggled further towards him, happily warm. 


	5. {Sea Creatures} Merfolk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey spent most of her life on the fringes of the great city, with no parents to call to her name she isn't exactly high up. However, there are people who are worse off then her. Suddenly a few royal guards bring her to act as personal consort to the prince, the king is dying, and the line of succession needs to be clear.

She was gathering the ever present scrap on the bottom of the ocean when they came for her. Using a long metal staff she was prying off one panel of a ship, they always needed metal, underwater they couldn't forge it, and this ship was a good find. One of the ones that didn't rust they'd be able to beat it into the needed shape. She whistled carefully as she worked, and found herself surrounded at the moment of triumph. Holding the scrap she was looking around at the red scaled guards all around her, one pulled out a scroll. 

"You are Rey?" he questioned. She nodded, resting the metal down just under her as she stared at the male. "Very well, Rey, lone female, no mates or clutches, not maid to others," he stated and she grimaced in the hot broiling anger in her. It wasn't exactly by choice that, everyone wanted to be well off. She wasn't the worst off, but they wanted to marry upwards, getting better things in life. "You are to accompany us to the castle to act as consort." he stated and she froze, long body falling to the sandy ground. A ever present blue shelled crab quickly ran to investigate, she brushed it away from her tail fin before it could pinch her. 

"Sir, I think, I believe there is a mistake!" she called, surely not her! Never her! What would anyone in the castle want with HER? One of them offered a smile, at least trying to seem comforting. 

"I believe ma'am, that you are one of the sole females that are unlaid and thus will have a larger clutch." she bit down on her lip and nodded. Not daring to hope this was anything other then some dream. Following the procession everyone poked their heads out from the low city, a mix of mud and coral homes and scraped ships she was lead into the old castle. How it was made was long forgotten. Set in large circles along with any of high status most of the golden and silver scaled turned up their noses at her covering their faces. Probably from the rotting smell of salvage that every permeated her world. Most of the guards floated off, leaving her with one as she was announced and a tiny lady, with dusky rose coloration came by with a smile, pulling her out and to the baths. It may seem strange, most like her didn't bathe much. They were surrounded by water, but 'bathing' was done by rubbing sand into her body and scales. Rubbing off the dirt and grime of years took a long time, and several more servants. Exposing the brown scales on her, and rubbing more sand into her hair to clear out the accruing moss and algae she was ushered then into a series of rooms, completely bare until more and even more people poked, prodded and measured her. 

It wasn't long before she was bedecked like one of those that had turned up their noses at her just before, with gold and silver that made her just feel heavy, covered in thick flowing veils one of the red scaled guards ushered her into one room and sat guard on her. Here were things from the old kingdom. The thing that once was longer and longer ago then she had even been a single mote in her great great great grandsires eyes. Still strong, and still nearly new looking, long tables and chairs and lounging seats. A long bed sat in a corner with long posts that covered it in curtains. Nothing to entertain her, or who had to be coming for her. She knew what this place was and resigned herself. There were worse things then being a kings consort, or... soon to be kings consort. She might not be loved, but having children who would be placed into this high place in society was more then she could ask for. It was little wonder why she could never bare to even try for that. 

She wouldn't subject her children to a life of barely scraping by, not that there had been many askings for progeny either. At least saving this sort of thing, her eyes spied a creche a large bowl for her eggs that would be fertilized soon, had served her well. She could have been paid for the serving of this nature, shaking herself out she tried to wait patiently. Her hands itched, there were never not busy with SOMETHING and they felt like they needed something to do. She floated over to a long series of ribbons on the bed and with a glance towards the guard she ripped them off and carried them back to her waiting seat. Braiding, and unbraiding them at least gave her something to do. A low series of voices, and she stilled her hands as several more people roamed into the room. Not daring to look at him she only saw the end of one black scaled tail. The Prince in face of most monarchs and his own parents had black scales like his long ago grandfather. The one who roamed the ocean with an army gathering everyone back to the castle. Killing the wild-mers, and so forth. 

"I told you all that this isn't necessary." the Prince snapped. One dull red, almost copper colored tail answered. 

"And you need to ensure that the line is unbroken. This is the only unlaid female," Rey glanced up at the coppertailed man, he had even copper hair, sliced short. "Just do your job, I'm sure at least ONE will survive." The man gave the Prince a glare, before heading out, taking the red scaled guard with him and leaving her utterly alone with the Prince. 

"I'm beginning to hate him." the prince mumbled. She could get a look at him, and put her eyes respectfully down. He never knew hardship, so while her scales even with all the scrubbing, were a dull coloration, his were shiny and bright. Healthy, fully and utterly healthy, she sighed. It had been a long time since she had last ate anything, but it wasn't her place to ask for food. He sighed, and moved in front of her, she could feel his dark eyes roaming over her. She quickly hid the ribbons behind her back before she could get in trouble. "What's your name?" he asked her softly. 

"Rey. Just Rey sire." a soft groan issued from him and she chanced a look at the prince. 

"No need for sire, or any of that. Are you hungry?" he held out a hand towards her, and she put hers into his. Feeling nearly dwarfed by him he lead her out and away into a large dinning room. On it laid all the food she could ever dream of. Some tables even had old glass bottles holding surface drinks. A small thing would drive into the bottle keeping the ocean water from it so that one could 'drink' it freely. "Eat, you must need it." casting another glance to him she dug into the delicacies that she could only dream of. She felt full way to soon, and nervously tugged at some of the flowing fabric around her. 

"I.. wish to thank you." she stated lowly, he had been watching her. "Will... my children be treated well?" he grimaced towards her, and moved close to her. 

"Little one, I will not force someone into this position." he soothed taking her hands into his. "I'll keep you for the time, until...." he dropped off. 

"Its fine sir. I just want my children to be well." she said and closed her eyes. She was more then prepared for whatever this could mean and whatever could happen. It wasn't a bad place being a consort. She could never marry him, or be a full on mate, but having a large royal line prevented a lot of problems that happened with succession and intermarrying of the blood. 

"Go back to your rooms, I told you. I am not going to do this. I have to figure out how to get rid of you." his tone was a bit cold, and she flinched, but nodded, slipping out. After navigating old wrecks of the surface finding that room was simple, she dug out the ribbons she had wrecked and did her best at reattaching them to the bed. It had been a long day full of various things so she curled herself into the bed and fell into the darkness of sleep. 

* * *

 

Rey was in the library the next time she saw the Prince, so far the King has not left his bedchambers, he was arguing with that coppertailed male. "Why would all of these be messing around? Do they think to test me? To use the ailing of my father?" he asked rapidly. Curious, she slipped out from the hard chair she had been reading in, these books were much of the same of the castle and items in it. Created and made to last, with all that kept it as such completely lost to time. She thought, so long as she was here, she could try to find out how to create such items. Maybe it was all in one of these books, however she set the book aside to listen in on the conversation. Watching the two from just inside a set of bookcases. 

"I do not know Ren, why on earth would I know? I am not a wild mer." the coppertailed male said. So that was the Princes name? Ren? At least she knew the name of the one who would eventually father her children. She bit down on her lip eyes flicking over the Prince. He was flushed and restless with anger. Constantly shifting his position. 

"The Plutt clan are not wild, they have been settled in that land for generations." the Prince stated, he waved a hand. "Now we need to find out why they are pressing into the Tako clan's territories get it settled-" 

"They want the fissure." Rey stated, and both looked to her. It took all her control not to flinch when both males glanced between each other then back to her. 

"What did you-" Ren began. 

"How dare you eavesdrop!" the coppertailed male snapped, and moved. He would have slapped her, but Ren grabbed his arm and nearly threw the other into a bookshelf. 

"Get out of here Hux. Now." Ren stated, the male grimaced, but left quickly. She was shaking, and he sighed. Looking back to her. "Now what were you saying?" She looked up at him, and he smiled gently towards her. 

"The fissure, the one that expels hot water. Plutt clan wants it, to control cooked food." she explained quietly. Ren blinked and nodded. 

"I see." He put a hand to his chin. 

"If you ask them to go towards..." she looked away from him pulling the area from her memory. "The furthest reach south, there is those black towers that expel hot water too. They wouldn't want to press the Tako clan anymore." Ren nodded, looking her over again. 

"We'll see." he left her alone again, and too rattled to continue reading she went back to her bedchamber to try to relax. The bowl still sat ominous by the bed. It wouldn't be used until he fertilized the eggs in her. They were getting a bit uncomfortable, and she'd need to have him do such, or expel them out like most unmated did. The bottom of her tail, where her eggs were all stored, was bulging just a bit, maybe a week before that choice would be made for her. Likely she could be executed for such a matter. Or she'd have to ask one of the others of royal blood to do the deed. 

* * *

 

It was the next day, when Ren came into her bedchambers, he held with him a set of cooked dishes. "You were correct." he told her simply, and handed the cooked food towards her. "These are from the Tako clan, since you are the one who helped, this is yours not mine." He moved to leave. 

"Sir?" she called, and set the food aside. "I... need to... lay soon." she stared down at the ground and he froze at the door. "I... don't know what to do. Please...I don't know..." she moved so that she was by him at the door. His whole body shivered and she reached out to touch his hand. 

"I...I'll come for you tonight." he stated and left. She shivered, holding herself and letting herself settle motionless onto the ground. However, he didn't come for her that night. That night the King passed. Leaving everyone in mourning, and wailing into the ocean water. It was hurting the next day, but he came back, looking like he hand't slept at all. He was quiet, and settled onto the edge of her bed, despite how comfortable it was to settle herself she sat by him. 

"Are you well sir?" she asked him, he swallowed. 

"Those to the north, with the cold waters are asking for more supplies. They say they found things." he stated tonelessly. She frowned, and winced as a particular pain lanced up her. "I... oh...." He pulled her hand to his cheek. "If... you expel them, they'd kill you. I am so sorry." She shivered but nodded in understanding. All in all, it wasn't the worst thing she had experienced in her life. They did have to request another bowl however, which in some primal way pleased her. It would very much please this Hux, and many others as well. Fully the size of a head, the bowl could fit two, and she had passed four. Each shiny and well on their way to growing children. He wouldn't look at her in the aftermath, and she could see that he almost felt like he had taken her by force. 

"The north?" she asked softly, resting on the bed, he was near the foot, casting furtive glances toward his progeny, she panted a few times to get herself back to rights. "That's the Damers. They're more wild then everyone else. They'll cheat you out of everything they can, or kill you. I've been to the north there isn't anything for miles. They are lying to you." he stilled, and finally looked back to her. She tried a at least frail smile towards him, the ache of passing eggs was ebbing down. 

"I'll up the guards in the area." he stated simply. She reached out to his hand and gave it a squeeze. 

"Its okay... I'm okay. It didn't hurt... you didn't hurt me." she tried, but he quickly snatched his hand away and left her alone with the children. They looked frail, but soon, a set of more redtailed guards came and gathered them up to the brooding grounds. She wasn't allowed there, but they would be taken care of by the upmost priority. She knew the basics, keep them warm, and free from algae. If she had been a wild mer, or anywhere else there would be a great many tings attracted to the scent and smell of eggs. Keeping such predators away would be a near constant thing until the scent faded in a week. Here, they would grow without the threat, the only one was other Mers, and despite the sort of sick feeling in her at that thought she banished it to fall into an exhausted sleep. 

* * *

 

Rey woke to a bunch of various mers all flodding into her room in the success of the lay, folding her out into better beck-decked clothes and jewels she was pulled into eating quite a loot of foods. More so then she actually needed being goaded by the females who permeated the area. Chatting happily about their own broods. "I once laid SIX! SIX! That was horrible!" said a withered old Mer. "You are quite the well done lady." she told Rey, and passed her a kelp gourd of fresh water. 'Drinking' it without sea water contamination gave the effect of those surface drinks. Lightheaded, and nearly drunken sort of feeling. She only took a tiny sip. 

"I'm just glad we didn't have to loose you!" called one small female. She was the rose colored one from before in what felt like ages ago. "The Prince has never shown much interest in females, we were taking bets on him being of the other way!" Rey looked down to the ground. This chatter didn't exactly suit her nature, she could go on about scrap, and the best way to pry the metal from its bolts but talking about babies and children? Gossip about the other royals? She didn't even know any of them at all. 

"THE KING." Called her guard, just before Ren entered. He blinked at all the females that had encourched on her room, they all gave quiet squeals of delight leaving in a rush. He was holding something wrapped up, and from his look he was ready to kill or vomit. 

"Rey, as King I can demand what I wish." he began. She blinked towards him. "Hux pressured me to marry into the others, however, you have proven yourself more then... good." he dropped off and she frowned towards him. Her heart felt a bit sick itself. "In matters like Plutt, and Tako, and now the Damers." he stated and she tried not to flush either in shame or something else. She wasn't sure. "So," he pulled out the crown of the queen and held it out to her. Pure shock filled her and she stared at. 

"NO! No you cant'! I'm...nothing." he moved towards her, taking one of her hands and pulling it to the crown. 

"You aren't nothing. Not to me, and not to the people you have helped." he said and let go of the crown to touch her cheek. "Please, I need you." she swallowed down her fear at such a thing. How can anyone think her as anything other then a simple consort. Not that long ago she had been a scavenger! He kissed her cheek gently. "Please Rey..." he begged her. 

"If you're only ashamed..." she tried but he pulled her into his arms. She bit her lip, and hugged him back. "Okay.... I accept." he pulled back and smiled to her, relaxing. "But still why?" He touched her cheek, cupping it with his large hand. 

"I want to change some things, and you'll be the perfect start." he told her quietly. "But also, because I must make it up to you for what I did." she frowned, but she had already accepted. So she'd be queen. From nothing to queen... but he took the crown from her hands before she could contemplate much and put it on her head. It felt like it was made for her head, fitting perfectly to her. 


End file.
